Breakfast – nombivore

Overall Rating: N/A

The Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles rests at the bottom of the famous, but currently decommissioned, Angels Flight funicular railway. And although both are notable 20th century Los Angeles landmarks, the market is open for business while Angels Flight is convalescing back into working order.

Although I used to work in downtown LA, I had no awareness the market until I moved away. Now that I am no longer an LA local, I finally get a chance to visit during a business trip. Anyway, when I arrived on a Saturday morning right as the market opened at 8 a.m., most the stalls were closed.

However, there was already a jovial and eager line snaking around Eggslut. Although I was reluctant to wait, the dreaded fear of missing out gave me the fortitude to endure the wait. Luckily, the line moved at a good pace, and I was ordering before I could finish a Sudoku puzzle on my phone.

ES 2

Fairfax ($7) – cage-free soft scrambled eggs and chives, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and sriracha mayo on a warm brioche bun ($1.5 extra for avocado – curse my millennial sensibilities!!!)

This was just too much of a good thing. The eggs were soft and buttery. Combined with the buttered brioche bun, melted cheddar, and ripe avocado slices, then the whole thing just melted on contacted. The richness overwhelmed the onions and the sriracha. There was nothing to establish a contrast, either in taste or texture. Still, I inhaled the sandwich in about one minute, giving the old ticker some heavy-duty lifting for the rest of the day. Overall, I get Eggslut’s appeal, but the experience was one-note for me. I would like to try it again some other time.

Overall: 3.5/5

Serious Pie & Biscuit is a part of Tom Douglas‘s Seattle restaurant empire. While Seattleites have appreciated his contributions to the local food scene, many grouse about the premium they have to pay at his establishments.

Serious Pie & Biscuit is located in the South Lake Union (SLU) neighborhood (there are other Serious Pie locations near Belltown and Capitol Hill), right next to the Amazon campus. The SLU branch is situated to feed the ravenous life science researchers, college students, and Amazon employees that roll through the region on a daily basis. It was the perfect place for some to-go breakfast on a wet and chilly Sunday morning before a Seahawks game.

“The Zach” – Biscuit with Fried Chicken, Tabasco Black Pepper Gravy Biscuit, Fried Egg and Bacon ($14)

Good, but could have been even better had the gravy been served on the side. The gravy had a strong black pepper flavor with a tailing kick of Tabasco. But given the richness of the other ingredients, the gravy was overkill. The fried egg was disappointing because the yolk hardened from overcooking. Drenched in gravy, it was hard to discern any unique taste or texture from the biscuit. On the plus side, the fried chicken was juicy, and the bacon was thick-cut and a jerky-like texture.

SB3

Biscuit with Truffle Frittata, Tomato, Caper, Arugula ($9)

This is more balanced and refined than the Zach. The frittata lacked airiness but had a faint garlic/earthy truffle flavor. The tomatoes and caper provided a good combination of sweetness and brine. The arugula added some herb-like fragrance and contrast in texture. The biscuit was appropriately flaky and fluffy with a good crust on top.

If you intend on dining on site on the weekends, I recommend coming before there is a line during the peak breakfast and brunch hours. The sandwiches are not cheap, but it is very unlikely you will walk away hungry. More than likely, you will want a nap afterwards. Plan accordingly.